Internal combustion engines are typically provided with an oil shower delivery system used to spray lubrication oil on the lobes of a camshaft of the internal combustion engine. The previously known oil shower delivery systems are formed of a steel shower pipe that is attached to a steel baffle plate. The oil shower delivery system is then attached to the cylinder head cover of the internal combustion engine.
A particular disadvantage of the previously known oil shower delivery systems is the formation of the oil shower pipe and the baffle plate from steel which increases the overall weight of the internal combustion engine. During the attachment of the oil shower delivery system to the cylinder head cover, a heat staking operation is used in which heat and pressure are used to deform a deformable stud to secure the oil shower delivery system to the cylinder head cover.
In an effort to reduce the overall weight of an internal combustion engine, it is advantageous to form the oil shower delivery system from injected molded plastic components. However, due to the intense heat and pressure required during the heat staking operation, the baffle plate of the oil shower delivery system is unable to cope with the stresses and is damaged. Specifically, the pressure forms local cracks and the heat causes portions of the oil shower delivery system adjacent the mounting holes to melt. The damage caused by the heat and pressure of the heat staking process degrades the life expectancy of the connection of the oil shower delivery system to the cylinder head cover to an unacceptable level.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved connection assembly for the connection of a plastic oil shower delivery system to a metallic cylinder head cover which prevents the heat and pressure from the heat staking operation from damaging the oil shower delivery system.